The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-07

mediately joined by the others. A
weird dance followed, the people sing
ing as they danced. and gradually be-
coming almost delirious in their fervor.
The place was soon in an awful tumult.
Some of the women, who especially
seemed to have lost all control over
themselves, even climbed up to the
rafters, wiggling their bodies, Kissing
and trying in every way 10 initiate the
movements of the snake.
THE SERPENT DANCE.
This ghasily dance was continued
for two hours or more, when silence
was again produced by the appearance
from behind the red curtain of two
men leading by the hands a little
trembling negro boy, in white robes.
The child was led to the throne, and
mounting it, he Frustrated himself
twice before the men and women seat
ed there. Papaloi. holding both his
hands over the boys head, blessed him
in.the name of the sacred serpent, and
then asked him in pompous language
what he most desired in the world.
The little fellow, CHANGING up into the
faces of his two conductors. replied
(and the reply had evidently been
taught. Thin That object above all 9th
err objects in the world which l most
desire is the possession of little viz
GIN
Hardly had he spoken when, from
the entertained apartment came two
women leading negro girl of four or
five years also dressed in the purest
white. The second child was led to
the throne and stood confronting the
boy. Again the boy was asked what
he most desired and when he repeated
his former answer both he and tho
girl were at once thrown on their backs
and bound hand and foot.
THE TERRIBLE ACT ACCOMPLISHED.
"A burly negro, knife in hand,
separated himself from the crowd, who
had been watching the proceedings
with breathless interest, and mounted
the throne Reaching the boy he said
something TO the men, who with their
hands over his mouth were trying to
stop the little fellows cries, and they
held their victim by the feet up in the
air. With a single slash across the
little throat the brutal executioner kill
ed the child, and the others held him
while his life blood gushed into the
receptacle placed below to receive it.
THE CHILD MURDER.
"At that moment an involuntarily cx-
clamation of horror escaped me, and
Immediately all eyes were turned to-
wards me, looking with distrust and
suspicion. The horrible proceedings on
the throne were suspended and hasty
consultation was held there among the
people on it. Fearing for my life and
obeyng a slight signal from our guide,
l somehow got out of the door. mount
ed my horse and rode rs hard as could
to the town. The worshippers evident
ly did not suspect was white man.
They assumed, probably, that was
novice and not yet hardened to the
sight. At any rate, / was not pursued
and my friend was not interfered with.
He remained until the end, joined me
that night. and told me that the little
girl had been killed in the same manner
rs the boy and that then the bodies had
been cut up, cooked and eaten by the
wretches. The whole awful orgy was
ended only when every person present
had become helplessly intoxica ted"
CoRRoBoRATIvE FACTS.
The investigation into the truth OF
this gentleman's statement that the
practice has extensively prevailed in
the island, revealed the following
story. The facts are from the official
report OF the trial: In the latter part
of December, 1863, under the reign of
President Geffrard, solder-who in
part, it would seem, owed his ultimate
downfall to his manly attempts to wipo
out this terrible stain upon his coun.
try--there lived in the little town Of
Bizoton, a village near Port-au-Prince.
an idle. good-for-nothing fellow called
Congo Pelle. He was a member of the
Voudoo Society, and believing in the
all-powerful serpent, he determined to
secure the influence of his god by the
sacrifice of a child. In order that his